Evo Lite 2100 mAH initial charge

[wannaheli]

I have a new FlightPower Evo Lite (2100mAH, 18C, 28C burst) that I just charged for the very first time. I was using a Bantam BC6 charging at 2 amps. The charger balanced and put in 2179 mAH. Each cell had 4.2 V. Shouldn't the pack have some mAH when it left the factory? I was monitoring the pack and it never got above room temperature. Any thoughts? Is FlightPower being conservative in there numbers?

[HPSOV2]

Did you happen to note the cell voltages before you started the charge?

(if not then in future that is the first thing you should do when you get a new pack)

[wannaheli]

Thanks for the tip. I can't remember the voltage but I remember the cells were pretty balanced before the charge. I sure hope it was above 3.3V. It definitely was above 3V.

[Ultraviolet]

Keep an eye on that pack. It was totally discharged when you recieved it or else your charger is displaying the wrong amount returned to the pack.

Hpsov2 is correct. You should have checked the pack voltage and each cell voltage before starting the first charge.

Most packs are shipped with a 50% storage charge. The first charge on that pack should put in about 1050mah.

[wannaheli]

That's what I was thinking. On a brand new Align 2200 that came with the kit, I only put in about 600mAH. Should I ask for an exchange? Maybe this is normal with FlightPower.

[wannaheli]

Now I'm thinking that it's my charger. I just got a new FlightPower Evo25 2500 mAh 3S. This time I learned my lesson and recorded my voltage before charging. Total voltage was 11.43 and and each cell had 3.81. The charger put in 2495 mAh for the initial charge. What's going on?

BTW, I've not had any problems with the EvoLite. I have about 30 cycles and the battery is just fine.

[gp813]

i just got some 2500 evo lites myself, and the charge on all 3 of them was hovering around 3.8v for each cell.

looks like your okay with the 2500.

[redgiki]

Many battery packs are under-rated. For instance, I have some 2200mAh packs that, when discharged at 1C to 3.2v/cell, are clearly 2500mah packs, and a number of 2000/2100 packs that are pretty clearly 2200mAh. Under-rating your packs allows pack assemblers to brag about a higher C-rating and reduce warranty support calls at the expense of a bit more weight.

(This was at the heart of the dispute surrounding the infamous KOK2000 tests performed by FMA Direct a few years ago. At twice the weight of Thunder Power packs, it seemed the KOK packs were under-rated substantially, which might explain their 450-cycle+ results @10C. However, FMA Direct claimed to have run them to their cut-off each time.)

I don't know about the FlightPower Evo Lite 18C 2100mAh packs, though. More data would be interesting.

[wannaheli]

I think they are under-rated too. I rather they be under-rated rather than over-rated.

[helicraze]

I really do believe now a days the value on the pack is the amount you can put back safely eg 6S 5000MAH pack, put back 5000MAH, I didn't go below 3V per cell under load and put back 5.15A!